Flower of Eternal Rest
by Dede42
Summary: When a mysterious flower begins growing in Ponyville and first the animals and then the ponies begin falling asleep, it's up to the Mane Seven to figure out what is behind this threat that dates back to the early days of Equestria. Can they stop the Flower of Eternal Rest or will they fall victim, too?
1. Chapter 1: WAKING THE FLOWER

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Flower of Eternal Rest

A/N: Well, Halloween is over for another year and since it's overcast and raining a bit, I'm gonna have to wait until it clears up enough so I can start taking down the decorations. Plenty of kids in costumes did show up, including kids that I know from my neighborhood, and my sister, Yami Faerie showed up with her two boys: Monkeyboy13 was wearing one of those costumes that you can stick your legs through and strap to your shoulders so that it's around your waist, and so he was the parrot fish Dory from _Finding Nemo_. Cowboy15 had a similar costume, only he was a green dinosaur rider. Yami Faerie was dressed as Arwen from _The Lord of the Rings_.

Anyway, this is an original story that came to me in a dream, and I hope you all enjoy it.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE: WAKING THE FLOWER**

It was nighttime in Equestria and the ones normally awake at this time were the nocturnal animals, ponies with night shifts, and Princess Luna monitoring the Dream Realm.

However, deep in the region of the Everfree Forest, a lone, hooded figure was making its' way along a nearly overgrown path that lead to one of the mountains located between Ponyville and Canterlot.

* * *

Reaching the end of the path, the figure headed up the slope a ways until it reached the opening to a dark, gloomy tunnel. The figure pushed back the hood to reveal Shadow Star, whose mane was mostly white with only a bit of black.

Lighting up her horn, she entered the tunnel, walking along while the red-tinted light from her horn revealed from time to time faded artwork on the walls and strange writing.

* * *

Eventually the tunnel opened into a large cavern that was mostly empty, saved for a pool of clear water with a stone platform in the center. An opening in the ceiling allowed a shaft of moonlight to shine in, and it fell upon the platform and its contents: a single stone flower on a short pillar.

Dimming her horn, Shadow Star approached the pool and used a narrow stone walkway to cross it. Reaching the platform, she stood before the pillar, and she examined the stone flower with great interest.

It was shaped like it'd been cross-breed with between a lily and a locus flower, and it was in a faded red pot, like it'd been planted in the dirt.

' _The legends are true, and I have found you at last,'_ she thought, magically removing a glass vial from her cloak, ignoring a faint frantic knocking from a glass bottle, and smiled cruelly at the liquid in the vial: it was an _extremely_ dark shade of red, that it was almost black.

Uncorking the vial, Shadow Star poured the liquid on the flower, and spoke in an ancient language. "/ _With this potion I awaken thee. With this potion I revive thee. With this potion I bring back the Flower of Eternal Rest!_ /"

As the red liquid ran down the flower, it was absorbed into the stone, and cracks began appearing. Seconds later, the cracks began glowing an eerie red, and the stone shattered with a brilliant flash of red light.

Shadow Star shielded her eyes until the light faded, and she could see the true flower: it was alive, red/gold coloring, and it was softly glowing.

As she watched, pale red vines began flowing out of the flower, down to the ground, and toward the tunnel.

* * *

Following the vines to the opening, Shadow Star stopped and watched, pleased to see them heading toward Ponyville and Canterlot.

' _The magic of the Princesses will keep Canterlot safe for a while,'_ she thought. _'But eventually they_ too _will fall victim to the Flower of Eternal Rest, and Equestria will be_ mine _!'_ She became aware of the faint knocking, and she magically took the bottle out.

Shadow Star smirked at the small silver figure that was banging on the glass frantically. "Keep hitting the glass all you want, my dear," she said snidely, "but you won't be released until _I_ choose to release you." She then put the bottle back in her cloak. "Now to wait."

* * *

When the sun rose over the mountains to signal the start of a new day, and the ponies left their homes to start the new day, they noted that there were strange red/gold flowers growing throughout the town, but they didn't really pay attention.

At least, not right away.

* * *

At the Apothecary, Sunrise Blossom had just barely unlocked the door, when several ponies arrived to pick up orders, place orders, or buy ingredients.

"Here you are, Cherryshine," Sunrise Blossom said, putting a pair of blue-filled bottles in the pony's basket. "That should help deal with the bugs attacking your garden."

"Thanks, Sunrise," said Cherryshine, grabbing her basket and left, greeting Twilight Sparkle and Spike when they came inside. "Morning, Twilight, Spike."

"Morning, Cherryshine," said Twilight Sparkle cheerfully while Spike yawned from his seat on her back. "Morning, Sunny."

"Morning, Twi,"s said her twin, moving around the counter. "Spike, were you up late reading comic books again?" she asked the baby dragon when he yawned again.

Spike shook his head. "No, I went to bed early for a change," he answered. "I don't" he yawned "know why – I'm so tired."

"He _did_ go to be early when I told him we'd be joining Rarity for breakfast," Twilight Sparkle agreed, concerned for the baby dragon. "Could he be coming down with a cold?"

"Have you been sneezing, Spike?" Sunrise Blossom asked, feeling his forehead for a fever, and he shook his head. "No, fever, so he isn't sick."

At that _exact_ moment, the door banged open and Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash hurried inside with frantic expressions.

"None of the animals at the farm are waking up!"

"Angel and the other forest animals won't wake up either!"

"I couldn't coax Tank out of his shell!"

"Gummy's snoring!"

"Opalescence refused to wake!"

Sunrise Blossom fired off some sparks with her horn and they quieted down. "Ok, now tell me _one_ at a time what's wrong," she requested.

Taking turns, they each explained how the animals at Sweet Apple Acres, their pets, and all the forest animals wouldn't wake up for anything, not even food.

"The vet is being overwhelmed with reports and now it's clear that whatever is going on, it's affecting Spike, too," Fluttershy concluded, and sure enough, the baby dragon had fallen asleep.

"I better check on Rosemary," said Sunrise Blossom, having realized that she hadn't seen or heard her cat that morning, and she raced upstairs.

* * *

Reaching her quarters, Sunrise Blossom went to the basket that Rosemary used as a bed, and her heart sank when she saw that the red cat was curled up and sleeping. "Oh no, Rosemary…"

* * *

Returning to her sister and their friends, she was letting them know that her own cat was affected, too, when there was a loud ringing outside.

"The alarm bell!"

Fixing up a bed for Spike, the Mane Seven raced outside.

* * *

"Where's the trouble, Madame Mayor?" Twilight Sparkle asked mane mayor, who was heading out of town with the other ponies.

"The school house!"

"Oh, _please_ don't let the fillies be taken again," Applejack prayed, fearing for her little sister.

* * *

When they reached the school, they saw that the doctors and nurses from the hospital had already arrived, and a large medical tent had been set up.

While Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash went to check on the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the other four ponies went to talk with Cheerilee.

"Miss Cheerilee, what happen?" Sunrise Blossom inquired.

"I don't know!" the school teacher wept. "I sent the fillies and foals outside for morning recess, and when it suddenly got quiet, I hurried outside and found them all lying on the ground unconscious!"

While the mayor comforted Cheerilee, Sunrise Blossom and Twilight Sparkle moved aside with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie to compare notes when they were joined by Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack.

"How are Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"According to the doctor, they're just sleeping," Rarity informed them. "They don't know why, but the fillies and foals are just sleeping."

"First the animals and now the fillies, _what_ is going on around here?" Rainbow Dash wondered.

The twins shrugged, feeling helpless. How were they going to solve this one?

* * *

A/N: I'm going now, so post your guesses, even if they're wrong, in your reviews and I will see you all on Tuesday. Bye! R&R everyone!


	2. Chapter 2: THE FLOWER SPREADS

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Flower of Eternal Rest

A/N: Hey everyone, it's time for the next installment. And you're right, Roleplayer48, that last chapter on the _Robin Hood_ rewrite _was_ a bit rushed since it was late at night when I worked on it, and don't worry, I'm not taking any offense. If you want help with it, that'd be great.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO: THE FLOWER SPREADS**

Deciding to go back to town and see if they could find answers at the library, the Mane Seven were heading down the path when they were almost run over by a frantic Big Macintosh.

"Whoa there, Big Mac," said Applejack. "Where's the fire?"

"It's Granny Smith!" the stallion answered, panting. "Somethin's wrong with her!"

Exchanging uneasy looks, the ponies ran to Sweet Apple Acres with Big Mac in the lead.

* * *

Reaching the farm, Big Mac lead them over to the flower beds, and they found Granny Smith lying on the ground, fast asleep, and she was surrounded by her gardening tools.

"This is bad," Applejack moaned. "Granny wouldn't fall asleep while gardenin'."

"Or grow a strange-looking flower," Pinkie Pie remarked, pointing to a red/gold flower. "I saw those in town."

"I saw some of those flowers near the Everfree Forest," Fluttershy recalled.

Comparing notes, the ponies figured that the strange flowers hadn't been anywhere in or near Ponyville last night, and there probably was a connection between those falling asleep and the flowers.

"Big Mac, get Granny to the hospital," Applejack instructed her big brother. "We'll be at the library, lookin' fer an answer."

While the stallion attended to Granny Smith, the Mane Seven headed back to town.

* * *

"Withs Spike asleep, we don't have any way to contact Princess Celestia," Twilight Sparkle complained.

"Twilight, I have that book that allows me to write to Princess Celestia," Sunrise Blossom reminded her sister. "I'll go get it and meet you guys at the library." And she split off to retrieve the book at the Apothecary while the six ponies went to the library.

* * *

Reaching the Apothecary, Sunrise Blossom got out the book that had her cutie mark on the cover, and she wrote in it:

 _Dear Princess Celestia,_

 _There are strange red/gold flowers growing around Ponyville,_

 _And so far the animals, the fillies and foals, and Granny Smith_

 _Have fallen into a deep sleep._

 _I don't know if there is a connection, but Twilight and I will_

 _Be doing research at the library._

 _Your faithful student,_

 _Sunrise Blossom._

She put the book into her saddlebags, along with potion-making supplies, and left the Apothecary.

* * *

"Oh no," Sunrise Blossom moaned when she saw more of the flowers and that other ponies had fallen asleep. Worse, pale red vines were growing from the flowers and wrapping themselves around the sleeping ponies.

' _This is_ really _bad,'_ she thought and ran toward the library.

* * *

At the library, the six ponies were looking through books when the orange unicorn ran in, slamming and locking the door, and then she magically shut and locked all of the windows.

"Sunrise, what's wrong?" Twilight Sparkle asked her twin, who was looking rattled.

"There's more of those flowers out there," Sunrise Blossom informed them, winded. "Ponies are falling asleep in the streets, and there are vines growing from the flowers, wrapping themselves around the ponies."

"Oh my," Rarity gasped. " _Why_ is this happening?"

Unsure of how to answer, the seven ponies turned back to the books, hoping to find answers before it was too late.

* * *

Several hours went by and the ponies were no closer to finding a solution. Deciding to take a break, Pinkie Pie was now cooking them food since none of them had gotten to eat breakfast.

While Rainbow Dash went to check on what was going on outside, Sunrise Blossom was checking the book to see if the Princess had responded.

"Any replies?" Twilight Sparkle asked her twin, who shook her head gloomily. "I'm sure she'll contact us with a solution soon," she said reassuringly.

"Let's hope so," said Sunrise Blossom and looked to the blue pegasus when she flew back down the stairs. "How's it looking out there, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash shivered. "It's really, _really_ quiet out there," she reported. "I hate to say it, but we might be the only ponies still awake in Ponyville."

"Don't talk like that," Rarity scolded. "I'm sure the others are safely hiding in their homes."

Applejack peered through the shutters, frowning. "Sorry, Rarity, but I think Dash's right," she said grimly. "There's nopony out there, and it's _too quiet_."

Just then, there was a frantic knocking at the door, making the ponies jump. Fluttershy unlocked and open the door, and Zecora came staggering inside.

"Zecora!"

Hearing the shouts, Pinkie Pie poked her head out of the kitchen, spotted the zebra as she was helped into a chair, and she hurried out with a bowl of hot soup. "Here!"

"Thank you kindly, Pinkie Pie," Zecora said gratefully, and she sipped the soup. "This is truly divine."

Beaming, Pinkie Pie went back into the kitchen to get more soup for everypony.

"Darling, how did you get past the flowers?" Rarity inquired.

"It was not easy, not even for me," Zecora replied. "The blooms grow fast and no place will be safe for long." And she told them how her home had been overrun by the flowers. "Grow fast in the forest they do. Dark magic at work, I fear."

The ponies exchanged uneasy looks and, after eating the soup, they went back to searching the books.

* * *

Hours passed and the group had been through nearly every book when Fluttershy found a clue.

"Everypony, look at this."

They gathered around the yellow pegasus to look at an old, leather-bound book, and on one of the yellowed pages was a drawing of the flower.

"Good job, Fluttershy," Sunrise Blossom complimented, making her friend blush, and read the contents. "According to this, that flower is known as the Flower of Eternal Rest."

"Wait, I thought that was just a legend," said Applejack, frowning.

"Apparently it's real," said the orange unicorn, "and it says here that the Flower was created by the Lady of Shadows long ago by combining a Dream Lily and a lotus from a distant land."

Rainbow Dash made a face. "Great, and I bet _anything_ that Shadow Star found that darn Flower, and is behind all of this," she grumbled.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Rarity muttered. "That _dreadful_ woman is still out there."

Suddenly, there was a loud thud and the ponies were alarmed to see that Zecora was asleep on the floor, and the Flowers were growing up from under the door!

"Run!"

* * *

The ponies fled up the stairs as the Flowers started growing through the shutters, and they became trapped in the study. As more Flowers blossomed, the ponies became aware of the fragrance coming from them, and they felt themselves grow sleepy.

The ponies were starting to succumb to the Flowers – when there was a brilliant flash of light, and everything went black.

* * *

A/N: Uh oh! What does this mean? Have the Mane Seven fallen victim to the Flower of Eternal Rest? Stay tune for another chapter on Thursday! And if you have any guesses, even if they're wrong, post them in your reviews, for I would _love_ to hear your thoughts. R&R everyone!


	3. Chapter 3: FINDING A SOLUTION

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Flower of Eternal Rest

A/N: Don't worry, Roleplayer48, I'm not stressing out on our current rewrite, and whatever you come up with, I'm sure that it'll be great. Anyway! Time to see what happen to the Mane Seven.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE: FINDING A SOLUTION**

 _`"Twilight, Sunrise, please wake up."`_

 _`"All seven are regaining consciousness. We_ got to them in time."

Sure enough, the Mane Seven had woken up and were surprised to be lying on the floor of the throne room in Canterlot, instead of the floor in the library's study.

"Princess Luna, Princess Celestia," said Twilight Sparkle, getting up when she saw them. "How-?"

"Luna alerted me early this morning that she sensed the awakening of the Flower of Eternal Rest," Princess Celestia explained to the seven as they all got up. "We had cast a Shield Spell to protect Canterlot when your message arrived, Sunrise, and we had to work fast to bring you here before you also fell victim to the Flower's spell."

"Thank you both for saving us," Sunrise Blossom said gratefully, "but how can there be so many Flowers of Eternal Rest?"

"Come with us and we'll explain."

* * *

The group walked down a hallway, and Princess Luna shared what she knew.

"There is only _one_ Flower of Eternal Rest," she explained, "and what you encountered were the extensions. When the Flower awaken, it began spreading its' dark magic toward both Ponyville and here. When it reached its' target, it turned into _exact_ copies that grow quickly. As more ponies fall under the spell, the Flower grows stronger, and if it isn't stopped in time – then all of Equestria will fall into an eternal sleep forever."

The Mane Seven did a group shiver at the thought and Rainbow Dash voiced what they were thinking.

"I like napping, but not an eternal nap!"

"How _do_ we stop this Flower?" Rarity inquired. "All we know is the name and that it was created by the Lady of Shadows."

"Indeed that is what most ponies know," Princess Celestia agreed. "Somehow Shadow Star managed to find the Flower and awaken it after it was turned to stone by Mythic Diadem over a thousand years ago."

The twins stopped in their tracks when they heard the name. "The sister of Star Swirl the Bearded?!"

"The one and the same," Princess Celestia confirmed, opening a pair of doors, and they entered one of the biggest libraries that the ponies had ever seen.

Both Twilight Sparkle and Sunrise Blossom had to resist the impulse to drool when they saw the books.

"Come," said Princess Luna and they walked through the massive room that was filled with towering rows of books and scrolls disappearing into the distance.

* * *

Eventually they reached the other side of the room, and the group stopped in front of a very, _very_ tall tapestry that had the whole of Equestria.

"Ooh! Ooh! I can see Ponyville!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing up and down. "And the pictures are moving!"

Sure enough, the woven artwork _was_ moving across the fabric, and as the ponies watched, they realized that they were watching the history of Equestria itself.

"This is the Tapestry of History," Princess Celestia explained. "It was woven on the Loom of Fate itself by two sisters." As she spoke, her horn glowed gold, and her magic allowed the figures to leap off the fabric, and come to life around the group. "Long before the pony tribes formed Equestria, two Alicorn sisters named Azure Ruby and Shining Light came upon the warring tribes and helped forge a frail peace among them."

"The sisters were powerful sorceresses whose homeland had been destroyed by corruption and dark magic," said Princess Luna, continuing the story. "They did not wish to see this happen again, and so the peace was maintained for many years. During that time, Azure Ruby and Shining Light taught members of the tribes how to use magic and make potions, and among their students were Star Swirl the Bearded and Mythic Diadem."

"The sisters were happy when their students took on their own students," Princess Celestia continued, "and among these students were Clover the Clever and Willow the Wise. After Equestria was founded, the tribes constructed a castle for the sisters, and for many years, there was peace in the land."

"However, as time went by, Shining Light noticed that Azure Ruby was keeping to herself more often, and this had her worried," said Princess Luna gravely, taking her turn. "One day she went to her sister's quarters, and she was alarmed to discover that Azure Ruby was practicing dark magic. She confronted her sister, who had made many Dark Artifacts, and this included the Flower of Eternal Rest."

"Azure Ruby admitted to her sister that she had used a spell to lure in the windigos that had lead to the formation of Equestria, and that she'd been reading several books on Dark Magic from their former home," said Princess Celestia. "She believed that with Dark Magic, they could rule Equestria, and have everlasting peace."

"Shining Light objected to her sister's plan, knowing that nothing good could come from Dark Magic," said Princess Luna. "She tried to stop Azure Ruby, but she escaped, taking her creations with her. For ten years, Shining Light, Star Swirl the Bearded, Mythic Diadem, and others renown ponies searched the land, and dealt with the Dark Artifacts, destroying many."

"When Azure Ruby finally resurfaced, she was calling herself the Lady of Shadows," said Princess Celestia. "She was eventually defeated, but not all of her creations were destroyed. When the Flower of Eternal Rest started attacking a village, Mythic Diadem managed to create a potion that turned the Flower to stone."

"Unfortunately, before she could destroy the Flower, another crisis arose," said Princess Luna, "and until now, nopony knew where the Flower had ended up." And the figures returned to the tapestry.

The Mane Seven were stunned by the amount of history that'd played out before their them, and that, once again, one sister turned evil while the other sister remained good.

"Ok," said Rainbow Dash, "now that we all know this. _Where_ is the Flower located?"

"The Flower of Eternal Rest is located in this cave," Princess Celestia informed them, magically showing them images of where to go. "My little ponies, be warn. The closer you get to the Flower, the spell will grow stronger, and you will fall victim to it faster."

"Good to know," said Applejack. "So, we know the how and where, so what can we do to stop the Flower?"

"Come."

* * *

The Mane Seven followed the Princesses to a different part of the library, and into a room filled with books, scrolls, and tables covered with potion making equipment.

"This is the Mythic Diadem Wing," Princess Luna explained. "In here, everything she'd ever written is here, and if the potion _is_ to be made, you will find the information here."

Sunrise Blossom gulped a little, but did her best to hide her nervousness. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Several hours went by as the ponies searched through the books and scrolls, which were made easier with Twilight Sparkle organizing them into stacks to indicate that they'd already been checked.

' _We're running out of time,'_ Sunrise Blossom thought, magically handing her twin a scroll and began looking through a book. _'If we can't find that potion soon, then all of Equestria is doomed.'_

"I found it!" Rainbow Dash announced, carrying a book in her hooves from the top shelf to the table and set it down. "Pg. 19."

Sunrise Blossom magically opened the book to the correct page, finding both a drawing of the Flower and a potion recipe. "The Stoning Potion," she read, her expression brightening. "This is it!"

"Do you think you can make the potion, darling?" Rarity inquired.

"I can," the orange unicorn confirmed, reading through the recipe. "It isn't that complicated, and we can do it together."

* * *

It didn't take the group very long to gather the ingredients together, and by following the recipe, Sunrise Blossom soon had the potion ready: it was silvery white and seemed to glow.

"Ooh, pretty," said Pinkie Pie, admiring the potion.

"Do you think it'll work?" Applejack wondered.

"It better or we're all goners," Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"Only one way to find out," said Sunrise Blossom, magically putting the bottle into her saddlebag.

* * *

Leaving the library, the group was heading for the throne room when they almost ran into Princess Celestia, who wasn't looking like her normal regal self.

"Princess Celestia!"

"The Flower has entered Canterlot," Princess Celestia informed them. "Luna and the guards are doing what they can to keep it from spreading. Do you have the potion?"

"We have it, Princess," Twilight Sparkle answered, and she was surprised when the Princess summoned the chest that held the Elements of Harmony.

Princess Celestia proceeded to give each pony her respective Element. "The Elements of Harmony will shield you from the effects of the Flower," she told them while placing the crowns on Twilight Sparkle and Sunrise Blossom's heads. "But remember, the closer you get to the Flower of Eternal Rest, the stronger its' magic will be."

"You can count on us, Your Majesty," Applejack promised. "We'll stop both that there Flower _and_ Shadow Star."

Princess Celestia nodded and used her magic to open a portal to the location of the mountain. "Hurry, my little ponies," she said and they ran through the portal, which disappeared. "Hurry."

* * *

A/N: Will the Mane Seven be successful? Stay tune for the final chapter on Tuesday. Bye! R&R everyone!


	4. Chapter 4: VICTORY!

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Flower of Eternal Rest

A/N: Here's the final chapter for the story, and now it's time to see whether the Mane Seven will be victorious or if Shadow Star herself will be the winner.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR: VICTORY!**

The Mane Seven staggered a little when they arrived at the base of the mountain, but they recovered quickly, and looked around.

"This _looks_ like the right place," Twilight Sparkle said uncertainly.

"It _has_ to be since, 'em vines are comin' from that there cave," said Applejack, pointing to the pale red vines. "I say that we follow 'em and take out that Flower."

The group agreed, activated the Elements so that they were surrounded by a rainbow shield, and they headed for the cave by following the vines.

* * *

The group walked through the tunnel toward a pale red light. As they drew closer, they could sense that the sleep spell was growing stronger, and they hope that they could resist it.

"There's the Flower!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and sure enough, the Flower of Eternal Rest was softly glowing in the center of the cave.

They moved forward and the rainbow shield brightened, reacting to the Flower's magic, and then their way was blocked by Shadow Star, who was smirking.

"Shadow Star," Sunrise Blossom hissed, glaring at the cruel unicorn. "Only _you_ would do something like this."

"It's been a while, Sunrise Blossom," Shadow Star remarked. "And _you_ must be Twilight Sparkle," she added, eying the purple unicorn. "Celestia's _other_ student."

"That's right," Twilight Sparkle confirmed. "And we're going to _stop you_!"

Shadow Star's smirk shifted into a cruel smile. "Good luck, then," she said, turning away to admire the Flower. "But you will fail, so you all might as well give yourselves to the Flower, and _rest_."

" _Never_!" the Mane Seven declared.

Tsking, Shadow Star shook her head, her horn glowing a dark red. "Fine, the hard way it will be."

A magical battle broke out with the group using the Elements of Harmony against the cruel unicorn and her corrupted magic. Unfortunately, this was making it hard for the group to focus on protecting themselves from the effects of the Flower.

Reaching the platform, Fluttershy was first to fall asleep, followed by Rarity, and without their Elements, the shield was weakening.

"Sunrise, use the potion!" Applejack grunted, alarmed when Pinkie Pie collapsed, giving in to the sleep spell, and vines began covering their sleeping friends while Shadow Star crossed the walkway. "Hurry!"

Agreeing, Sunrise Blossom got the bottle out and, shaking her head to stay focus, moved toward the Flower. She started uncorking the potion when there was three thuds and the shield disappeared. "Oh no!" She turned and saw that both her sister and their friends had fallen to the spell, and they were being covered by the vines. "Twilight! No!"

"So _close_ , and yet you've failed," Shadow Star remarked in a soothing voice, stepping carefully over the sleeping ponies, and stopped next to the orange unicorn. "You might as well just give up, Sunrise."

Sunrise Blossom glared at the grey unicorn and turned back to the Flower, determination enabling her to resist its' spell for the moment. " _No_ , I'll finish what Mythic Diadem started."

Using her magic, she uncorked the bottle, and she moved it toward the Flower. It seemed to sense her presence and it glowed brighter, increasing the dark magic.

' _No,'_ Sunrise Blossom thought when her eyelids began growing heavy with sleep, _'no, I can't – I can't fall-'_ She sank to the ground while the bottle settled on the edge of the pot as her magic faded.

"That's it," Shadow Star cooed, gently stroking the orange unicorn's mane. "Just relax and go to sleep. _Rest_."

Quietly sighing, Sunrise Blossom curled up on the ground, shutting her eyes, and she gave into the spell, slowly sinking into an eternal sleep as the vines began growing over her body.

Shadow Star laughed triumphantly at her victory when the trickling of liquid reached her ears. Looking round, she saw that the bottle had fallen over, and the potion was pouring into the soil. "No!"

She magically knocked the bottle away, but it was too late! The soil absorbed the potion, and the Flower of Eternal Rest began reverting to stone.

The second that the Flower was completely turned to stone, the vines turned to dust, and the spell was broken!

The seven ponies snapped awake and the twins combine their magic to blast the grey unicorn off the platform. "Applejack, smash the Flower!"

"Y _eeha_!" Applejack turned and bucked the Flower across the cave, and it smashed into a million pieces against the wall. "Wahoo!"

Cheering, the ponies high-hoofed and then they faced Shadow Star, who was glaring at them.

"You've _lost_ , Shadow Star," Twilight Sparkle announced. "The Friendship of Magic will _always_ win."

"You haven't seen the last of _me_ ," Shadow Star vowed and teleported away.

* * *

After confirming that everypony was awake, including the animals, a celebration was held in Canterlot, and a new stain-glass window was revealed at the palace.

"Once again, all of Equestria is safe thanks to my students and their friends," Princess Celestia announced, and the Mane Seven blushed as cheers rang out.

* * *

Once the celebration was over, the seven ponies returned to Ponyville, looking forward to having a decent non-magical sleep in their own beds, and happy that their home and friends were safe once again.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, it's a bit on the short side, but that's how it goes sometimes. See you all on Thursday. R&R everyone!


End file.
